Pune Running Beyond Myself 2016

The blue ocean.

By Veloscope

December 14^th, 2016

the moon wears glasses.

strength in numbers.

An event that started with a few Hundred runners four years back has grown from strength to strength, both in magnitude and numbers. The latest edition saw a massive count of 12000 participants across all categories, an achievement as big as the event itself. At one of the grandest stage of them all, Pune was running beyond itself.

before the event (the pre run)

Before the PRBM, the runners were invited for a practice run in the beautiful open grounds of the Royal Purandar Township, some 50 kilometers away from the city of Pune. It presented the runners an opportunity to take on the mountains with the Iron man Milind Soman. A fun event which was flagged off by the celebrity, before he took on the course himself in his trademark 'no shoe' approach.

refresh.

Opportunities for Sundays like these are rare in a city circus where the last day of the weekend is generally accepted as an excuse to be lazy.Acres of open land, beautiful green surroundings and a pre-run before the main event of PRBM, the invitation for such a generous outing was received with much warmth.

moments before the race .

bodies in motion.

let the games begin.

all in attendance.

the route!

Almost a major length of Pune, it took runners through on a city tour. Mostly flat ground with very less elevation changes, distance and time were the only adversaries.

the blue ocean.

A sight that won't be forgotten anytime soon, for everyone who was a part of the event, or a spectators or just taking a morning walk, or running morning chores, the city roads were all engulfed by a huge blue wave riding the roads.

autumn.

CROSSROADS!

the stronger ones.

future is now.

few more steps.

saluting the efforts.

people on the way.

Pune is a buzzing little city, it's welcoming, has it's own distinct vibe and the people are warm and ebullient. The support on the route both organized and voluntary was huge. PRBM now is a signature event for the city and as people cheered, held signs and danced by the routes, the 42 kilometers journey was made to feel a tad easier than it was.

one for the ages.

the FINISH line.

The best part about having the finish line inside a stadium is the sense of stardom it brings into each and every one of the runners approaching the finishing line. It is ones' personal moment of glory, there is the running turf marked with paint like the track and field events general population would only watch on the television, there are spectators cheering, the people waiting at the finish line with the medals and in those few moments, you are a star, whatever our timing be. It is special.

Pune's running community is one of the strongest in the country, an event which has exponentially grown in just four years of it's genesis is a testimony to that. It serves as a platform for the professionals to strengthen themselves and more importantly for the amateurs to challenge their own limits and as the name says, to run beyond themselves.